O’Toole Claims DiGaetano Threatened His Life

Soon-to-retire state Senator Kevin O’Toole (R-40) has made claims that former Assemblyman and gubernatorial candidate Paul DiGaetano threatened his life during a one-on-one conversation the two men had over ten years ago as DiGaetano was mounting his gubernatorial run.

O’Toole spoke with Politico New Jersey about the incident.

“I don’t remember the exact words, but paraphrasing it, it was ‘I’m going to have you killed if you don’t give me the line.’ Something like that,” O’Toole, then the Essex County GOP chairman, told Politico. “I took is so seriously I called the Attorney General…Had a couple discussions, met with one of their investigators and left it in their hands.”

DiGaetano claims that the timing of the claims are suspect because the Bergen County Republican Organization—where DiGaetano is challenging sitting chairman Bob Yudin—will select a chairman on June 21. O’Toole is backing Yudin in the election.